young

adjective (younger /, youngest )
in the early part of life; not old:
They have two young children.
You're younger than me.
opposite old

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

young

I. young¹ S1 W1 /jʌŋ/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative younger, superlative youngest)
[Word Family: noun: ↑young, ↑youngster, ↑youth, ↑youthfulness; adjective: ↑young, ↑youthful; adverb: ↑youthfully]
[Language: Old English; Origin: geong]

1. a young person, plant, or animal has not lived for very long:
a young child
He’s younger than me.
You’re too young to get married.
young trees
When I was young, I wanted to be a model.
John was a great footballer in his younger days (=when he was younger).
2. a young country, organization, or type of science has existed for only a short time:
At that time, America was still a young nation.
Psychology is a young science.
3. young lady/man spoken used to speak to a girl or boy when you are angry with them:
Now, you listen to me, young man!
4. seeming or looking younger than you are SYN youthful:
Val is incredibly young for her age.
5. young at heart thinking and behaving as if you were young, even though you are old
6. 65/82/97 etc years young spoken used humorously to give the age of an old person who seems or feels much younger:
Next week, Bessie will be 84 years young.
7. designed or intended for young people:
I’m looking for something in a younger style.
8. young gun/Turk a young person who has just started doing a job or being involved in something, and is eager to achieve things or make changes
9. somebody is not getting any younger used to say that someone is no longer young, especially when they may soon be too old to do something
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ young not old: a young man of about 22 | My dad died when I was young. | There are excellent facilities for young children. | Young people are often unable to get jobs.
▪ small/little a small child is very young. Little sounds more informal than small, and is used especially in spoken English: They have two small children. | We used to go camping a lot when the kids were little.
▪ teenage [only before noun] between the ages of 13 and 19: a group of teenage boys | They have three teenage children.
▪ adolescent especially written at the age when you change from being a child into an adult – used especially when talking about the problems that young people have at this age: Sudden mood changes are common in adolescent girls. | adolescent behaviour
▪ juvenile /ˈdʒuːvənaɪl $ -nəl, -naɪl/ [only before noun] formal connected with young people who commit crime: juvenile crime | a special prison for juvenile offenders | juvenile deliquents (=young people who commit crimes)
▪ youthful especially written seeming young, or typical of someone who is young – often used about someone who is no longer young: a youthful 55 year old | youthful enthusiasm | Andrew still has a slim youthful look about him. | The photograph showed a youthful, smiling Rose.
▪ junior connected with sports played by young people rather than adults: the junior championships | the junior champion
■ COLLOCATIONS CHECK
▪ small/little child/girl/boy
▪ teenage girl/boy/daughter/mother/pregnancy
▪ juvenile crime/offence/court/offender/delinquent
▪ youthful enthusiasm/energy/face/look/appearance
■ when you are young
▪ childhood the time when you are a child, especially a young child: I had a wonderful childhood in the country. | childhood illnesses
▪ girlhood/boyhood the time when you are a young girl or boy: The two men had been friends in boyhood. | the transition from girlhood to womanhood
▪ youth the time when you are young, especially between about 15 and 25 when you are no longer a child: He was a great sportsman in his youth. | She revisited all the places where she had spent her youth.
▪ adolescence the time when you are changing from being a child into an adult – used especially when you are talking about the problems people have at this age: During adolescence, boys are often lacking in self-confidence.
▪ infancy formal the time when you are a baby: In the past, many more babies died in

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

young

young [young younger youngest] adjective, noun [jʌŋ] [jʌŋ]

adjective (young·er [ˈjʌŋɡə(r)] ; [ˈjʌŋɡər] young·est [ˈjʌŋɡɪst] ; [ˈjʌŋɡɪst] )
1. having lived or existed for only a short time; not fully developed
• young babies
• a young country
• Caterpillars eat the young leaves of this plant.
• a young wine
• The night is still young (= it has only just started).

Opp: old
2. not yet old; not as old as others
• young people
• talented young football players
• I am the youngest of four sisters.
• In his younger days he played rugby for Wales.
• I met the young Michelle Obama at Princeton.
• Her grandchildren keep her young.
• My son's thirteen but he's young for his age (= not as developed as other boys of the same age).
• They married young (= at an early age).
• My mother died young.

Opp: old

3. consisting of young people or young children; with a low average age
• They have a young family.

• a young audience

4. suitable or appropriate for young people
Syn: youthful
• young fashion

• The clothes she wears are much too young for her.

5. ~ man/lady/woman used to show that you are angry or annoyed with a particular young person

• I think you owe me an apology, young lady!

6. the younger used before or after a person's name to distinguish them from an older relative
• the younger Kennedy
• (BrE, formal) William Pitt the younger
compare elder at elder _adj., junior _adj.(³)
more at (have) an old head on young shoulders at old, you're only young once at only _adv.
Word Origin:
Old English g(e)ong, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch jong and German jung, also to youth; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin juvenis.
Example Bank:
• He seemed quite young to have so much responsibility.
• He still looks young for his age.
• He's over 70, but he's young at heart.
• I felt young again.
• She looked young enough to be his daughter.
• She still looks very young.
• Fruit Fresh is a young company that is growing fast.
• I met the young Bill Clinton at Oxford.
• In his younger days he played rugby for Wales.
• It's a young wine, not really up to drinking yet.
• It's quite a young orchestra.
• My son's thirteen but he's young for his age.
• The composer died tragically young, just three days before her thirtieth birthday.
• The night is still young.
• The team is full of talented young players.
• They married young.
• This cottage would be perfect for a couple with a young family.
• This story is about a handsome young prince who falls in love with a village girl.
• Young babies need to be wrapped up warmly.
• young babies/children/animals

Idioms: getting younger ▪ not be getting any younger ▪ young at heart

noun plural
1. the young young people considered as a group
• It's a movie that will appeal to the young.

• It's a book for young and old alike.

2. young animals of a particular type or that belong to a particular mother
• a mother bird feeding her young
Word Origin:
Old English g(e)ong, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch jong and German jung, also to youth; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin juvenis.
Example Bank:
• It carries its young on its back.
• The females stay close to their offspring/young.
• They catch insects to feed their hungry young.

• the lion's offspring/young

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

young / jʌŋ / adjective

A1 having lived or existed for only a short time and not old:

young adults/children

His girlfriend's very young.

The trees in this part of the forest are still quite young.

Philippa is the youngest person in the family.

Angela is two years younger than Clare.

suitable for young people:

young fashion/ideas

Be honest now - do you think this dress is a bit/too young for me (= is more suitable for someone younger) ?

look young for your age

to look younger than you really are

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

young

/jʌŋ/
(younger /jʌŋgə(r)/, youngest /jʌŋgəst/)

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.

1.
A young person, animal, or plant has not lived or existed for very long and is not yet mature.
In Scotland, young people can marry at 16...
...a field of young barley...
He played with his younger brother.
≠ old
ADJ
•
The young are people who are young.
The association is advising pregnant women, the very young and the elderly to avoid such foods.
N-PLURAL: the N

2.
You use young to describe a time when a person or thing was young.
In her younger days my mother had been a successful fashionwear saleswoman.
ADJ: ADJ n

3.
Someone who is young in appearance or behaviour looks or behaves as if they are young.
I was twenty-three, I suppose, and young for my age...
ADJ

4.
The young of an animal are its babies.
The hen may not be able to feed its young.
N-PLURAL

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹young /ˈjʌŋ/ adj youn·ger /ˈjʌŋgɚ/; -gest /-gəst/
1 : in an early stage of life, growth, or development : not yet old
• mothers with young children
• a lively young colt
• a young tomato plant
• He looks young for his age.
• A very nice young man/woman greeted us at the door.
• Young people today have a lot of opportunities.
• He dreamed of being an artist when he was young.
• soldiers who died young
• The movie isn't suitable for young viewers.
• my younger brother
• He's still too young to buy alcohol legally.
• Our youngest daughter just started school.
• He worked as a farmhand in his younger days. [=when he was younger]
• The band members are still young at heart. [=they think and act like young people; they are active and have a lot of energy]
• “When I was young,” the man said, “the world was a different place.”
2 : recently formed, produced, started, etc.
• a young [=new] publishing company
• a young industry
• The season is still young.
• a young cheese
• young wine
not getting any younger informal + humorous
- used to say that someone is getting older and may not have much more time to do something
• If we really want to see Paris, we should do it soon, We're not getting any younger, you know.
the younger
1
- used in comparing the ages of two people who are members of the same family
• He's the younger of her two brothers.
2
- used to refer to the younger of two people (such as a father and son) who have the same name
• the painters Hans Holbein the Elder and his son Hans Holbein the Younger
years young informal
- used to describe an older person's age in a way that is meant to suggest that the person still looks or feels young
• She's 60 years young today!
you're only young once
- used to say that people should enjoy themselves while they are young;